Adjustable pipe wrench



15. MARGASON ADJUSTABLE PIPE WRENCH Filed Feb. 18, 1921 INVENTOR:

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Aug. 'Z, 1923.

STATES ADJUSTABLE rrrn urnnncn.

Application filed February 18, 1821. Serial No. 146,165.

Be it known that 1, Burn MAncAsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing'at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Adjustable Pipe Wrench, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to an adjustable pipe wrench of the two jaw type, with a manual adjustment for a range of sizes, and automatically adjustable in operation.

An object of this invention is to provide a cheap, durable, lightweight, economical and time-saving quickly-adjustable pipe wrench. Another object is to provide improved structure whereby the control of the jaws, clamping action ofthe jaws and the turning movement in operation, can be readily accomplished with one hand, as well as the releasing action necessary to with draw from the work. Still another object is to provide an improved adjustable pipe thus securing a ratcheting action, for op.

erating in restricted places where a complete revolution would be impossible, or can use one wrench for operating while vthe other is utilized to hold or steady the pipe line or fittings.

With the above-mentioned and other ob jects in view, the invention consists in an improved pipe wrench comprising a quickly-adjustable jaw having a positive and reliable securing means. The inven tion consists also further in the novel parts, combinations, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more particularly described and set forth in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side view of the improved wrench; Fig. 2 is a rear plan view; Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale, partially broken away, showing the full open wrench; Fig. l is a front plan view with the wrench handle broken away; Fig. 5 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale, partially broken away, showing the minimum opening of the jaws; Fig. 6 is a perspective vie-w of an automatic clamp bar; and, Fig. 7 is a top or operative end view of the main body of the improved pipe wrench, showing the auto bar 6 at its top or working end.

matic clamp bar thereof in the locked position.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate like parts or features of construction herein referred to.

A wrench as practically constructed, consists of a main body or part indicated generally by the numeral 1 with the longer portion thereof tapered, in width and thick ness, to provide a handle 2 in which, on both its broader sides, are recesses or grooves 3 which'form an eye-beam section of extreme lightness and strength, and an opposite main jaw head at having a cavity or slot 5 broached so as to leave a connecting jaw This bar is partially cut away at the rear, forming a channel 7 extending from the slot, whose sidewalls have concave ends 8 to afford clearance space. The bar 6, acting as the main jaw of the wrench, has an inclined face 9 provided with teeth 10, which afford the means for automatically adjusting the jaws to the pipe 11 or the rod 12. The remaining portions of the front face 13 of the main jaw are provided with ratchet type teeth 14 pitched backward or away from the jaw bar 6.

A novel adjustable head 15 is provided, consisting of a curved jawportion 16 provided with teeth 17 on its inner face 18, the jaw portion being integral with a curved body or shank 19, and in the end of the body or shank is a slot 20 forming a yoke 21 having a pivot 22 extending across the slot 20,the yoke being arrangedin the slot 5.

An automatic clamp bar is provided con sisting of a body 23 having a pivot car 24 on one side thereof and also ratchet-type teeth 25 on one side and similar teeth 26 on the opposite side of the ear, the teeth being pitched opposite to and adapted to engage the teeth 14. The car 24 is received in the slot 20 and connected to the yoke by means of the pivot 22 received in a hole 27 in the ear, whereby a great area of clamping and locking surface is secured. The body 23 has a lug 28 on one side of and integral therewith, to retract the clamp bar. The face 29 of the lug nearest to the pivot ear is roughened or knurled, to prevent slip ping of the operators thumb or finger thereon.

A clamp spring is provided consisting of a body portion 30, formed in a channel section shape adapted for seating on the shank 19 and having two integral elastic tongues 31 and 32 to act against the rear faces of the head 4 at opposite sides of the slot 5, as a retainer for the assembled head 15 and clamp bar 23 in the cavity or slot 5. Due to the above-mentioned structure a single screw 33 is sufficient for securing the spring in place.

In practical use, an operatorwith either hand can grasp the head 4 of the main body 1, loosely, back of the head 15 and with an outward movement of the thumb or a finger against the lug face 29 disengage the clamp bar 23 from the head 4. This allows the head 15 to slide outward until a slightly larger jaw opening than the diameter of the pipe or rod on which the wrench may be placed is secured; then by shifting the thumb to the edge of the lug nearest to the jaw 6, the main body 1 is free to slide upward or the head 15 oppositely until the faces 9 and 18 come in contact with the pipe or rod, the bar 23 becoming locked by the action of the clamp spring, and theteeth 10 and 17 are then forced into the surfaces by a slight rotation of the handle 2. The bar 23 may be simply pushed back to reduce the aw-opening. I

After the work has been accomplished, by

a slight reverse rotation the jaw teeth will withdraw themselves automatically from the pipe and by releaslng'the clamp bar, as previously described, and in some cases with- .out releasing the clamp bar, the wrench can movably arranged on the said face of the head andhaving teeth to engage the teeth thereon, the clamp bar having a pivot ear thereon extending into said slot, and a curved jaw provided with a curved shank extending into said slot from the opposlte face of the head and pivotally connected to said ear within said slot.

2. A pipe wrench comprising a main aw head having a slot extending transversely therethrough, one face of the head adjacent to the slot having teeth thereon, a clamp bar movably arranged on said face and having teeth to engage the teeth thereon, the clamp bar having a pivot ear thereon extending into said slot and having also a lug on one edge thereof extending beyond the adjacent side of said head, and a curved jaw provided with a curved shank extending into said slot from the opposite face of the head and pivotally connected to said ear within said slot, the curved jaw having a spring cooperating therewith and with the jaw head to yieldinglyretain said ear in said slot.

A pipe wrench comprising a main aw head having a cavity extending transversely therethrough, one face of the head adjacent to the cavity having teeth thereon. a curved jaw provided with a shank extending into said cavity from the opposite face of the head, the end of the shank having a yoke movable in said cavity and provided with a pivot, clamp bar movably arranged on saidfirst-described face and having teeth to engage the teeth thereon, the clamp bar having a pivot ear thereon extending into said cavity and into said yoke and being connected to said pivot, the clamp bar having a lug on one edge thereof extending beyond the adjacent side of. said jaw head, and a spring comprising a main portion secured to said, jaw shank and two elastic tongues extending slidingly on said opposite face of said head adjacent to said cavity.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BERT MARGASON. Witnesses E. E. SILvrUs, M. D, STEELE. 

